


Please, Not Again!

by BarbaraKaterina



Series: The Noldor [4]
Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Aredhel is too old for this shit, F/M, Fourth Age, Valinor, everyone is caught off guard
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-13
Updated: 2019-01-21
Packaged: 2019-09-17 12:19:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16974486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BarbaraKaterina/pseuds/BarbaraKaterina
Summary: When Aredhel left the halls of Mandos, leaving Eol behind forever, she thought she was done with all the complications of love and marriage.When Elladan made his decision to sail,  such things were far from his mind, given that he thought mostly of his parents and sister.They're both caught off guard by what happens, and they are not the only ones.This is part of The Nolde verse. It's not necessary to read that first, but the character dynamics is the same. However, it's meant to be a much, much lighter story.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is more of a teaser for the story than a proper first chapter, given how short it is, but it's been sitting in my folder for ages so I thought now was a good time to post it.
> 
> I just want to warn everyone that this has no update schedule, so...

Elladan was just preparing to let the arrow fly when the sound of a horse riding close by sent the deer scattering away.

Elladan cursed, loud and long, and only cut off his string of foul words when the rider entered his field of vision and he realized who it was.

Then, he went red.

That did not happen to him often, but then, he was not often found cursing like a sailor by a High Princess.

He bowed.

He did not know Princess Irissë well. He was in Tirion rarely enough, and when he was, it was for the company of his grandfather – or, more rarely, grandmother – and they were not on too intimate terms with this particular princess, in spite of her being his grandmother's cousin, and the same age.

So he was a little surprised when she laughed. “Are you that upset to see me?” She asked.

“No, my lady, it is merely...you scared my prey away.”

“Ah well, there will be another – there is never any lack of it in Lord Orome's forests.”

She was not riding away, and not quite knowing why, he asked: “Do you hunt often?”

A shadow crossed her face. “Not as often now,” she said. “I do not mind it, though really, the main attraction, for me, is the riding through the forest it gives excuse to. I do not like confined spaces.”

“Neither do I,” he replied, thinking about that shadow. “I am very grateful to my mother for having built our new abode outside Tirion.” 

There was a slight questioning tone to his statement, and she caught it. “I know, it is a paradox that I live in the city, but well...I like having the comfort to return to.”

He knew her history, and so he refrained from commenting. 

“I will leave you to your hunt, then,” she said, and rode away.

Elladan could not stop thinking about the meeting for days.

He could not figure out why – there had been nothing extraordinary about it – and when he confided in Elrohir, his brother laughed at him. “Are you in love, brother mine?” He asked.

Elladan frowned at him. “Well, if I was, it would hardly be something to laugh about, given that Princess Irissë has a husband. But fortunately, I have heard quite enough about what the Flame is supposed to be like to know this was not it.”

Elrohir frowned at him. “If you or she are not completely open to each other, or to yourselves, it will not manifest clearly. So that is no counter-argument. And as for having a husband...I would not be so sure. Do you believe Eol will ever be released from Mandos? She might be given a second chance, like Finwe was.”

-

Far away, in Tirion, Irissë was panicking.

“It's not like I asked for another opportunity!” She said to Tindómiel, who was attempting to listen patiently. 

“All the more reason to be grateful, no?” Her friend asked.

“No!” Irissë insisted. “I was quite comfortable knowing I was safe.”

“Look, I know your last experience was...not ideal-”

Irissë snorted. “Talk about an understatement.”

“But,” Tindómiel continued loudly, “marriage – regular, happy, blessed-by-The-One marriage – is a great thing.”

“Can I remind you of that the next time you're complaining Quendingoldo will not leave the library?”

Tindómiel laughed. “I think he is working on a new book. Yes, it is irritating, but absolutely still worth it. And I am sure Elladan is great.”

“You do not even know him!”

“Not really, no, but I know both of his parents relatively well and I am sure they must have raised a wonderful son – especially with Aunt Galadriel overseeing them,” she added mischievously.

Irissë grimaced. “Of course, because when could the perfect Aunt Galadriel ever go wrong?”

“Well, she did leave Aman. But beyond that...”

“Oh, do shut up. Yes, yes, I know, you adore her and she is like a second mother to you – doesn't mean I want to hear about her all the time, and especially not when I am panicking about possibly being in love. I am sure she handled it with assurance and dignity.”

“I have certainly never heard anything to the contrary.”

Irissë groaned. “Go away,” she said. “You are not helping.”

“Seriously, Irissë, I do not see why you are so upset. I think you should be celebrating, and planning a visit to the Homely House.”

“What a stupid name,” Irissë muttered. More loudly, she said: “And what would I say? Hello, I have never been here before, but now if you could please offer me some food…?”

“Knowing Elrond, it would probably work. But I can take you with me the next time I visit.”

Irissë gave her a suspicious look. “And will Nerwen be going as well?”

“Maybe?”

The older lady sighed. “Seriously, Tindómiel, stop it. We are never going to be best friends. I might be willing to visit Elrond's house with you, but promise me it will be a Nerwen-free visit.”

Tindómiel rolled her eyes. “Very well then. You'd better hope I will not take my husband instead!”

Irissë groaned.

But Tindómiel did not take her husband, and the two ladies rode alone, enjoying the freedom of it, racing each other and laughing in the morning sun.

Irissë grew less carefree, however, when Elrond's house approached. “It is still going to look very strange if I just appear there out of the blue,” she pointed out.

“We will just pretend we were riding and stopped by, all right?” Tindómiel asked, exasperated. “Now stop it.”

They rode in the gates of the house, and there were the twin sons of Elrond, dismounting their horses.

Elrohir bowed, and gave a long look to his brother, who woke from his astonishment enough to follow his example. “Welcome to our humble home, princesses,” Elrohir said. “To what do we owe the pleasure?”

Tindómiel dismounted. “You are actually aware,” she said, “that, formally speaking, you are princes as well?”

“I do not think so – Father never claimed the title, and so it was forfeited. And actually, given that Dior had forfeited his title as well once he returned from the Halls, I would even argue that the title itself no longer exists, so-”

Tindómiel rolled her eyes. “Yes, yes, I am sure you are right. When my husband comes you can discuss this legal problem with him to your heart's content. Now, can we get some refreshment after a long journey in the Homely House?”

Irissë was still sitting on her horse, and dismounted only on Elrohir's affirmation. Elladan still hadn't spoken a word, but now he said curtly: “Follow me,” and led the way through tastefully decorated but understated halls to a large living room, asking for some refreshment on the way.

Elrond was present in the room, in the middle of an animated discussion with Lord Laurefindil. He looked up when they entered, and stood and smiled. “Tindómiel,” he said with a bright smile, “how very nice to see you. And Princess Irissë, what an unexpected pleasure.”

Irissë inclined her head. She was feeling very out of her depth, and uncomfortable, though she did her best not to show it. She had apologized to Lord Laurefindil for the danger she had put him in those millennia ago by her ill-conceived journey as soon as he had returned West, and he assured her that he held no grudge, but still, she could never quite relax in his company, and the rest of those present made her feel even more ill at ease.

“Thank you for your hospitality, Lord Elrond,” she said.

He only smiled and gave her a long look that made her uncomfortable – and reminded her of Nerwen, because of course it did – and she took her seat with the feeling that this had been a very bad idea.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is not a promising courtship. If it is a courtship at all.

The visit was awkward. There was no other word for it. Elladan wasn’t sure if he should be reading some meaning into it, in spite of the pointed looks his brother kept giving him, because...on one hand, Princess Irisse had never before visited the Homely House, but on the other, she didn't like she was there for him. At all. She sat in the Hall of Fire and stayed mostly silent, though from time to time she joined the conversation with a curt commentary. She hardly even looked at him.

Tindómiel and Glorfindel were leading the conversation, really. They knew each other of old, and there was no tension between them like there clearly was between Irissë and the lord, and no tendency to more listen than speak like there was in his father.

“I have been meaning to ask, do you find any similarities between these lands and Númenórë?” Elrond asked at one point, when the two finished reminiscing about some moment from Lindon or another.

She considered the question. “Not truly, no. You do?”

That caught Irissë’s attention. “You have seen Númenórë?”

Father turned to her. “Many times. My brother was king there, after all, and my great-nephews after him.”

“Of course,” the princess said, in a tone that clearly communicated that she was not an idiot and did not wish to be treated that way, “but I might know little enough about it, but even I know elves were banned from there.”

Tindómiel sighed. “That was only much later. When I lived there, elves were not only allowed to come, btu welcome as well. Uncle was there every few years.”

“You have never told your friend about this?” Father enquired in a tone of mild surprise.

Tindómiel’s face clouded. “I prefer nto to think of Númenórë when I can avoid it. It is good, for me, that these lands do not remind me of my home.”

Elladan winced a little. It was hard enough for him, knowing he would never again see Rivendell. To know your home was actually under the sea…

“What is your favourite part of Aman, then?” He asked, to turn the conversation.

“I could not possibly pick one,” she replied.

Irissë looked almost offended. “Not even the forests?” She asked.

Tindómiel smiled at that. “I adore them, but then I adore the open meadows just as much, and the mountains...as I said, I cannot choose just one.”

“Well, I am with you, my princess,” Elladan interjected. “The forests are without equal.”

She looked at him properly for the first time since she came in. “Were there any such in the MIddle-Earth you knew?” She asked.

“Nothing that could compare by far,” he replied. “When I was young, there was still Greenwood the Great, before darkness took it, but we did not go there - the king was not friendly to us. Of those accessible to us, there were only the last two remnants of the Great Forest, but not even those were safe to ride in freely. In the south, the ents controlled the wilder trees, but they did not like to see them disturbed, and in the north there was no one to control them at all.”

“You forget the Eldest,” Father reminded him with a smile.

Elladan rolled his eyes. “I know you insist he is more than just a myth, but I have never seen him. In any case, I only knew about the truly great forests from stories before I came to Aman. What about in Beleriand?”

Princess Irissë gave a bitter smile. “The ruler of the largest forest kingdom did not accept me in his lands either,” she said, “you and I have that much in common.”

Elladan looked at her, and she turned her eyes to him as well, and suddenly felt that this visit was not quite so pointless after all.

“I'm a little surprised,” he said when she blinked and looked away, in a low voice aimed only for her ears, “that you didn't prefer to take your refreshment out in the fresh air, my lady.”

“I was curious about seeing the Homely House,” she replied..

“And what about us could catch your interest? You live in Tirion, you have known Gondolin...”

Irissë turned to look at him closely as she contemplated something. “The inhabitants, of course,” she said at length.

Elladan smiled.

-

The next time Irissë came to the Homely House, Nerwen was there, because of course she was.

“Cousin,” she said, in a tone of polite surprise bordering on complete astonishment, “I didn't expect to find you here.”

“Yes, well, neither did I,” Irissë muttered under her breath.

Nerwen tilted her head. “You didn't expect me here? True, I do not perhaps come quite as often as I would wish, but…”

“No, I didn't expect _me_ here,” Irissë corrected, and then, at Nerwen's expression, shook her head. “Leave it. I should go, anyway.”

Now Nerwen looked distinctly like she thought Irissë had perhaps gone crazy in the absence of her son, something a few have tried to imply over the years. “You have just arrived,” she said.

Irissë was saved from answering by something that only made the situation more complicated, because Elladan appeared in the courtyard. “Princess Irisse,” he said with a polite incline of his head. 

She gritted her teeth a little. “Prince Elladan,” she said.

He grinned at her.

Grinned.

Grins like that should be banned yb the Valar.

“All right,” he said, “point taken. Will you come in, or were you just stopping by?”

“Actually,” she said on an impulse, “I thought we could go for a ride.”

He was clearly surprised - so was she - but his smile brightened. “Gladly,” he said. “Let me just saddle my horse?”

She nodded and he disappeared in the stables, which left her alone in the courtyard with Nerwen, the very person she had been trying to avoid by offering the ride.

Nerwen was giving her one of her looks, too. “I didn't know you were friendly with my grandson,” she said.

Grandson. That was just...weird. 

“Well, now you do,” Irissë replied.

“Clearly,” Nerwen commented with something Irissë would suspect to be humour in another's tone, but the noble and wise Artanis? Hardly.

There was awkward silence.

“How have you been?” Nerwen asked at length. “I have not seen you since the gathering for Uncle's birth anniversary celebration.”

Which was half a Valian year ago. Come to think of it, it was rather admirable they managed to see each other so rarely when Nerwen was at her father's house - which has, by and large, been Irissë's house since she came out of Mandos - so often. Perhaps she wasn't the only one who did her best to avoid her only female cousin. She wasn't entirely sure how that thought made her feel.

“Well,” she replied simply. “And you?”

Nerwen gave a brief smile. “Blissful,” she said. That smile surprised Irissë - it wasn't the sort she was used to seeing from her cousin, but before she could give it any more thought, Elladan emerged from the stables.

“Grandmother,” he said.

Nerwen smirked. There was no other word for it. Irissë was sure she had never seen her smirk in her life. “How kind of you to notice me,” she said.

Elladan flushed lightly, which Irissë found entirely fascinating. _Damn it._

“Shall we?” She asked, and with a nod, he swung up into the saddle and they left the courtyard.

-

They rode in silence for a time, before Elladan observed: “I did not expect your visit.”

“Well, if I am bothering you, I can leave again.”

“That’s not what I meant!” He assured immediately. “It is only...I…” He exhaled. “Where do you want to ride?”

“You know these parts better than me. Is there some part of the area more worth seeing than others?”

Elladan shrugged. “You know Valinor - everything is beautiful here. I usually ride to the new Menegroth, but…”

Irissë grimaced at the thought. Not for the first time, she wondered what she was thinking. This was someone who willingly spent his time by going to the Sindarin halls - that alone should be enough to assure her she had no future with him.

“What are your preferred riding trails?” He asked.

Irissë considered the question. In truth, she couldn’t quite say - she preferred to simply ride freely wherever the whim took her. It was still new enough experience that she could not get enough of it. She did her best to avoid the places she used to frequent with Tyelko, that was the most she could say, and she did not think mentioning Tyelkormo would go over particularly well. Another sign of how stupid this idea actually was.

“I do not care,” she said. “We can just as well ride to Tadmenigroth, though I am not particularly keen on visiting there.”

Elladan gave her a look out of the corner of his eye. “Have you ever been?”

“I cannot say that I have, no,”

“It is beautiful, though perhaps you would not appreciate the...closed nature of living in caves.”

“And you do?” That would be another point against him.

“No, to be honest,” he said with a laugh, “but it is interesting to see it at the very least, and of course I have relatives there.”

Of course. As if Irissë needed reminding.

“I have never been particularly an admirer of architecture,” she said.

“Neither have I,” Elladan conceded. “Very well then, we will stop at the gates.” He paused. “There is a good straight stretch of the road before us-” he began.

Before he could finish, Irissë pushed her horse into a gallop. At least, while galloping, she had an excuse not to talk.

-

“It was a disaster,” she declared later, unequivocally, to Tindómiel.

“Disaster in what way?” Tindómiel probed.

“In every way,” Irissë replied. “There are so many reasons why this is abad idea, so many topics it is not safe to even talk about-”

“Have you tried?”

Irissë opened her mouth to answer, but in that moment, the house’s door burst open and Findekáno burst in.

“You would not believe-” He began, then stopped when he noticed Irissë was not alone. “Oh. Forgive me, Princess Tindómiel, is it?”

Irissë rolled her eyes, both at the honorific and at the question. “Really, brother?” She asked. “I’m quite sure you have been introduced.”

“Several times, most likely,” Findekáno agreed cheerfully, “but you know how it is when you have several thousands years of introductions to catch up on. Am I interrupting something?”

“Yes,” Irissë said bluntly. “What are you doing on the mainland, anyway?”

“That’s what I came to tell you, but if I am _interrupting_...”

Irissë rolled her eyes again. “Oh, come in, then! You look about to burst, so spit it out.”

“Mírdan is getting married!”

Irissë blinked, wracking her brain. “Mírdan?” She asked uncertainly, but it was entirely swallowed by the very atypical near-shriek of joy coming from her friend, who even - no exaggeration - jumped up from her chair.

Jumped up.

Tindómiel.

Who in the void was this Mírdan person?

“That is amazing news!” Tindómiel declared when coherence returned to her. “Who is he marrying?”

“Ulban, one of my cousin’s sons,” Findekáno announced cheerfully.

Tindómiel laughed. “Forgive me, my lord, but that does not narrow it down as much as you might think.”

Findekáno grinned at that. “Right, an overabundance of cousins, though really only three of them ever had any sons and you know I could hardly be talking about Tyelperinquar...but, anyway. I mean Ingoldo. His youngest, to be precise.”

Tindómiel’s smile grew even brighter. “I have heard only kindness about that family, which is somethign Mírdan dearly needs. I am glad.”

“You have heard onyl kindness aoout Ingoldo from Nerwen?” Findekáno asked somewhat dubiously. Irissë was dubious too – virtuous as Nerwen was, criticism of her brothers was one of the few things they agreed on. For similar reasons, even! Wonders would never cease.

Tindómiel laughed. “Very well, there misght have been a complaint or two during the years we have known each other, but for most of that time her brother was lost to her, so she only remembered the good things.”

“All right,” Irissë interrupted, getting impatient, “that’s all very thrilling, but who _is_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I managed to last exactly one chapter until I included Galadriel. Oh well.
> 
> Also, as for what expectations you can have from this story, I already know that I will use the main relationship as a convenient thread on which to hang lots of info about how I imagine live in Aman int he fourth age. That was seriusly like half my motivation in starting this.
> 
> I still have no update schedule – I will aim at roughly once a months, but you know how it is. Words are wind.


End file.
